In the Studio with Katie: Getting to Know Polymer Clay - Part 4

GETTING TO KNOW POLYMER CLAY

Part 4:

Types of Polymer Clay

There are many types of Polymer Clay out there.  But many get confused with their properties and the various types.  Let's face it: buying polymer clay can be confusing at times.  I have my favorite type of clay, as do many clayers...but with such a wide variety to choose from, finding one that suits your purpose can sometimes be tricky.  We will discuss the top 5 brands today: Fimo Classic, Fimo Soft, Premo! Sculpey, Sculpey III, & Cernit


I've put together this mini-reference based on Sue Heaser's recommendations in her book, "The Polymer Clay Techniques Book."


Scales:
    Softness Rating: 1 = soft, 5 = firm
       **All polymer clays harden over time, so this is only used as a guide for fresh/new clay**
    Baked Clay Strength: A = Fragile, E = Very Strong

TYPE: FIMO CLASSIC
  Softness Rating:  2-5 (variable)
  Baked Clay Strength: C
  Place Where Manufactured: Germany
  Number of Colors: 24
  Smoothable: Some Colors
  Best uses: Jewelry, Millefiori, Miniatures, Flowers, and Dolls

TYPE: FIMO SOFT

  Softness Rating: 2

  Baked Clay Strength: C

  Place Where Manufactured: Germany

  Number of Colors: 48

  Smoothable: Yes

  Best uses: Children & General Hobby Uses

TYPE: PREMO! SCULPEY

  Softness Rating: 3

  Baked Clay Strength: D

  Place Where Manufactured: USA

  Number of Colors: 32

  Smoothable: Yes

  Best uses: Jewelry, Millefiore, and all fine art techniques.

  *Excellent for mixing.

TYPE: SCULPEY III

  Softness Rating: 1

  Baked Clay Strength: A

  Place Where Manufactured: USA

  Number of Colors: 40

  Smoothable: Yes

  Best uses: Children and General Hobby Use

TYPE: CERNIT

  Softness Rating: 4

  Baked Clay Strength: E

  Place Where Manufactured: Germany

  Number of Colors: 44

  Smoothable: No

  Best uses: Jewelry, hobby, advanced doll making, & porcelain effects

All Pictures Link to DICK BLICK Where You Can Order Your Polymer Clays & Supplies

I order many of my clays from here as the color selection is more than I can find locally.


This post was previously published on 2/15/11 on the PCETeam Blog.